1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to beds, and more particularly, to an angularly raisable traction bed especially adapted so that the bed can be moved from one location to another.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Beds used in hospitals for keeping a patient in traction are well known in the prior art. When a person breaks a bone or for any reason requires traction, a long and expensive hospital stay has, in the past, usually been necessary. Typical beds utilized for traction arc large structures which remain at the hospital. In the case of a broken bone or the like, after the bone has set, the patient is often still required to stay in the hospital in traction for a substantial amount of time.
What is needed is some type of bed which can be used to keep a patient in traction and yet which can be easily moved from one location to another, such as from the hospital to the patient's home (and back and forth as is needed) so that much of the patient's recuperation can be done in the comfort of their own home at a cost substantially less than a long hospital stay.
It is known to have beds having one end of which is lifted to a higher level than the other (see for example U.S. Pat. Nos.4,312,088 and 4,651,365).
It is also known to have adjustable bed side rails (see for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,428).
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use beds in hospitals to keep a patient in traction and to raise one end of a bed to a higher level than the other, the provision of a simple and cost effective device allowing for mobility from one location to another and use in one's own home has not been contemplated. Nor does the prior art described above teach or suggest a mobile traction bed device which may be used by individuals to easily and comfortably move from a hospital to the patient's home, and back and forth as is required. The foregoing disadvantages are overcome by the unique mobile traction bed of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.